What About Mars?

No more problems says the package
the cure came in, no more
warning labels and the price tag
no longer legible. It began
with flashy children and fast cars
then people started talking
about the leftover stuff
after the move out,
wondered what would happen
to the crystal ball and Japanese flag.
Where to put Mars now?
Whose house next?

Crash Course in Islamic Created Causality

45- Have you not seen how your Lord lengthens out the shadow? He could have kept it motionless had He liked. Then We made the sun a proof for it.

http://geclark.mystarband.net/flood.html

Winter Issue Voices on the Wind

http://geclark.mystarband.net/flood.html

http://geclark.mystarband.net/tbird.html

Palestine

Is justice blind or is she just not looking?

Divinity versus Purity in the context of miracles

The Quran in its style is not just a book being dictated as one would a letter, "to so and so". It is an actual theological event complete with Allah's knowledge of what occurs in the prophet's own mind and that is included. Even the notion that Allah dictates to the angel and then to the prophet what his own actions should be i.e. "Say" and then it is followed by what should be said clearly pointing out those verses from others. Other statements that are meant only for the prophet are also included and show the incredible detail required in recording such an event. It exposes the actual process of revelation so to speak. It also indicates that there was a moral "burden" on the prophet and what the actual burden looked like in great detail highlighting certain events and I don't think we are to consider it a log of ALL the prophet's activities, thoughts or actions. That would be impossible (to read). The thing is, when a person (prophet or ordinary guy) KNOWS they are in a miracle situation, their fear of making a mistake is much greater (I think) and in the case of Mohamed (SAW) his miracle was so great that he would be HIGHLY unlikely to make even the smallest of mistakes in his practice.

This type of recitation exists no where else in terms of the other prophets but that doesn't mean that a "theological event" of the mental order didn't occur rather it just wasn't recorded verbatim by any prophet that we know of.


To offer the rhetorical question: How does a personal miracle lead to a person's recovery from any given thing and improve their character?

On the Divinity of Mohamed (SAW), Musa (SAW) and Isa (SAW) respectively referred to as Mohamed, Jesus Christ and Moses by other "believers":

I think the question is actually of Divinity not necessarily infallibility in the sense of human error. The Quran clearly demonstrates that mistakes happened but not necessarily mistakes that were of the intentional type and what is a mistake in the landscape of a miracle?

The Quran suggests over and over and over that if Allah wanted to create people who would not err he could have and if he wanted to make a Quran that glowed and flew into the air or whatever, he could have but then there would be no "test" for the believers/unbelievers/humanity. Those things that occurred that "appear" to be mistakes are, to me, part of the story that is necessary to reveal something else and something else and something else.

As well, Allah did not write a story or plan a plot in which he wasn't aware of something or someone's intents, actions or the personal dramas they were all involved it. Allah is basically not constrained by time and already knows the conclusion of the famous tale of this particular civilization i.e. the one involving this group of adversaries and advocates. In that case, there are not mistakes really.

In some cases, the prophet and his companions were given details as well. Stories in the hadith and in particular some that I know of from the Nahjul Balagha were actually revealed to that peer group as well. Sometimes via dreams and sometimes via actual statements of the prophet that were often times cloaked in mysterious language so as not to directly reveal the future. Like the case of the death of Abu Dhar(pbuh) in which at the time of his inevitable death he told his daughter to go to the caravan road and wait and that travellers would soon be coming who would help her to bury her father. She left him alone in his close to death state and went to the road and was met by a caravan. When the members of the caravan questioned her she told them her father's name and they were incredulous and asked to see the old man. When they arrived he was already dead and the rich merchants buried him in a very expensive piece of cloth. There are several other deaths like this recorded in the Nahjul in which the person who was going to die experienced something particular and then stated "Ah, I am going to die then tomorrow as the prophet said such and such"..in one case that a fighter would drink milk just prior to dying. The man asked for water as he was dying but instead, was brought a glass of milk just as the prophet had indicated to him years before (the prophet was at the time dead already i.e. when the old man was readying to die).

In Sermon 5 of the NB, Ali Mu'mineen (pbuh) states the following:

SERMON 5 of the Nahjul Balagha, The Peak of Eloquence


Delivered when the Holy Prophet died and `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb offered to pay allegiance to Amir al-mu'minin for the Caliphate

O' People! (1)

Steer clear through the waves of mischief by boats of deliverance, turn away from the path of dissension and put off the crowns of pride. Prosperous is one who rises with wings (i.e. when he has power) or else he remains peaceful and others enjoy ease. It (i.e. the aspiration for Caliphate) is like turbid water or like a morsel that would suffocate the person who swallows it. One who plucks fruits before ripening is like one who cultivated in another's field.

If I speak out they would call me greedy towards power but if I keep quiet they would say I was afraid of death. It is a pity that after all the ups and downs (I have been through). By Allah the son of Abu Talib (2) is more familiar with death than an infant with the breast of its mother. I have hidden knowledge, if I disclose it you will start trembling like ropes in deep wells.


This is an example of perhaps the deliverance of messages or information in dreams (not indicated in the NB though) and the idea that a believer should not share negative dreams openly to others.

Then, if you compare Isa (SAW) it is clearly stated in the Quran that he will be judged and will come to testify against others. It is exactly this type of thing, the insistence on the 'infallibility" of a human prophet that lead to the ultimate equating a human being with Allah. There are a few ayat that show that Isa (SAW) was also given the opportunity to "defer" from orders and he will answer for those things on al Yawm.

5:117 I did not say to them aught save what Thou didst enjoin me with; That serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord

And I was a witness of them so long as I was among them

But when Thou didst cause me to die, Thou were the watcher over them

And thou art witness of all things

(These above three lines are all spoken by Isa, SAW)

This shows that the Quran talks about the "end" so to speak and there are two mentions of Isa (SAW) as "among them" and then, as a resurrected soul along with all the other souls on al Yawm. I take it to mean i.e. 'among them' as not actually dead. Death hasn't come to Isa (SAW) yet and therefore this ayat refers to a future time when he too will present HIS evidence as a counter to the evidence of anyone in dispute with Allah's commands which indicates that Isa (SAW) himself had a 'choice'. If he had no choice that would be due to a predetermined 'infallibility' rather than what I think it is better described by and that is "divinity". It is just the case that with prophets, they are more highly motivated to avoid error and hence, do not make mistakes but I don't think that necessarily "predestines" them to not make any mistakes.

*And "thou were the watcher over them" I take to mean "at that time" which is the dispute here, the actual time of Isa's (SAW) death/non death i.e. the "crucifiction" which is witnessed really only by two individuals that we know of, the person on the cross and Isa (SAW) himself and of course, Allah.

Allah is the only infallible "thing" in that sense of the word.

Furthermore, this is the paradox of the time Isa (SAW) spent in the desert fasting and was tempted by the Shaitan. Whereas the argument is completely illogical the way it is presented by Christians (that Isa was God) i.e. it is impossible for the Shaitan to tempt Allah who created EVEN him (sic Iblis) with anything at all...comes into full focus for US. He was tempted. His role was not of the Creator but of the created and that is not indicative of "infallibility" but instead, the 'likelihood' he would withstand greater pressures than any of us would due to his divine information and divine skills imbued upon him by the Creator. That story (Injeel) includes Isa (SAW) being so burdened by one instance of his prophethood that he sweat blood much like Mohamed (SAW) was reduced to a shivering and practically insane "looking" individual under a blanket who feared either being insane or being perceived as such (upon his first encounter with the angel).

For non muslims and unbelievers, this is one of the ways in which they are prevented from accepting Mohamed (SAW) as the last prophet i.e. they "detect" fallibility in a variety of things from his war time activities to his marriage to a young girl.

A Look At The Beginning of Calphate and Imamate

SERMON 5 of the Nahjul Balagha, The Peak of Eloquence


Delivered when the Holy Prophet died and `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb offered to pay allegiance to Amir al-mu'minin for the Caliphate

O' People! (1)

Steer clear through the waves of mischief by boats of deliverance, turn away from the path of dissension and put off the crowns of pride. Prosperous is one who rises with wings (i.e. when he has power) or else he remains peaceful and others enjoy ease. It (i.e. the aspiration for Caliphate) is like turbid water or like a morsel that would suffocate the person who swallows it. One who plucks fruits before ripening is like one who cultivated in another's field.

If I speak out they would call me greedy towards power but if I keep quiet they would say I was afraid of death. It is a pity that after all the ups and downs (I have been through). By Allah the son of Abu Talib (2) is more familiar with death than an infant with the breast of its mother. I have hidden knowledge, if I disclose it you will start trembling like ropes in deep wells.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1). When the Holy Prophet died Abu Sufyan was not in Medina. He was coming back when on his way he got the news of this tragedy. At once he enquired who had become the leader and Chief. He was told that people had paid allegiance to Abu Bakr. On hearing this the acknowledged mischief-monger of Arabia went into deep thought and eventually went to `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib with a proposal. He said to him, "Look, these people have by contrivance made over the Caliphate to the Taym and deprived Banu Hashim of it for good, and after himself this man would place over our heads a haughty man of Banu `Adi. Let us go to `Ali ibn `Abi Talib and ask him to get out of his house and take to arms to secure his right." So taking `Abbas with him he came to `Ali and said: "Let me your hand; I pay allegiance to you and if anyone rises in opposition I would fill the streets of Medina with men of cavalry and infantry." This was the most delicate moment for Amir al-mu'minin. He regarded himself as the true head and successor of the Prophet while a man with the backing of his tribe and party like Abu Sufyan was ready to support him. Just a signal was enough to ignite the flames of war. But Amir al-mu'minin's foresight and right judgement saved the Muslims from civil war as his piercing eyes perceived that this man wanted to start civil war by rousing the passions of tribal partisanship and distinction of birth, so that Islam should be struck with a convulsion that would shake it to its roots. Amir al-mu'minin therefore rejected his counsel and admonished him severely and spoke forth the words, whereby he has stopped people from mischief mongering, and undue conceit, and declared his stand to be that for him there were only two courses - either to take up arms or to sit quietly at home. If he rose for war there was no supporter so that he could suppress these rising insurgencies. The only course left was quietly to wait for the opportunity till circumstances were favourable.

Amir al-mu'minin's quietness at this stage was indicative of his high policy and far-sightedness, because if in those circumstances Medina had become the centre of war its fire would have engulfed the whole of Arabia in its flames. The discord and scuffle that had already begun among muhajirun (those who came from Mecca) and ansar (the locals of Medina) would have increased to maximum, the wire-pullings of the hypocrites would have had full play, and Islam's ship would have been caught in such a whirlpool that its balancing would have been difficult; Amir al-mu'minin suffered trouble and tribulations but did not raise his hands. History is witness that during his life at Mecca the Prophet suffered all sorts of troubles but he was not prepared to clash or struggle by abandoning patience and endurance, because he realised that if war took place at that stage the way for Islam's growth and fruition would be closed. Of course, when he had collected supporters and helpers enough to suppress the flood of unbelief and curb the disturbances, he rose to face the enemy. Similarly, Amir al-mu'minin, treating the life of the Prophet as a torch for his guidance refrained from exhibiting the power of his arm because he was realising that rising against the enemy without helpers and supporters would become a source of revolt and defeat instead of success and victory. Therefore, on this occasion Amir al-mu'minin has likened the desire for Caliphate to turbid water or a morsel suffocating the throat. Thus, even where people had forcibly snatched this morsel and wanted to swallow it by forcible thrusting, it got stuck up in their throat. They could neither swallow it nor vomit it out. That is, they could neither manage it as is apparent from the blunders they committed in connection with Islamic injunctions, nor were they ready to cast off the knot from their neck.

He reiterated the same ideas in different words thus: "If had I attempted to pluck the unripe fruit of Caliphate then by this the orchard would have been desolated and I too would have achieved nothing, like these people who cultivate on other's land but can neither guard it, nor water it at proper time, nor reap any crop from it. The position of these people is that if I ask them to vacate it so that the owner should cultivate it himself and protect it, they say how greedy I am, while if I keep quiet they think I am afraid of death. They should tell me on what occasion did I ever feel afraid, or flew from battle-field for life, whereas every small or big encounter is proof of my bravery and a witness to my daring and courage. He who plays with swords and strikes against hillocks is not afraid of death. I am so familiar with death that even an infant is not so familiar with the breast of its mother. Hark! The reason for my silence is the knowledge that the Prophet has put in my bosom. If I divulge it you would get perplexed and bewildered. Let some days pass and you would know the reason of my inaction, and perceive with your own eyes what sorts of people would appear on this scene under the name of Islam, and what destruction they would bring about. My silence is because this would happen, otherwise it is not silence without reason."

A Persian hemistch says:

"Silence has meaning which cannot be couched in words."

(2). About death Amir al-mu'minin says that it is so dear to him that even an infant does not so love to leap towards the source of its nourishment while in its mother's lap. An infant's attachment with the breast of its mother is under the effect of a natural impulse but the dictates of natural impulses change with the advance of age. When the limited period of infancy ends and the infant's temperament changes, he does not like even to look at what was so familiar to him but rather turns his face from it in disgust. But the love of prophets and saints for union with Allah is mental and spiritual, and mental and spiritual feelings do not change, nor does weakness or decay occur in them. Since death is the means and first rung towards this goal their love for death increases to such an extent that its rigours become the cause of pleasure for them and its bitterness proves to be the source of delight for their taste. Their love for it is the same as that of the thirsty for the well or that of a lost passenger for his goal. Thus when Amir al-mu'minin was wounded by `Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muljam's fatal attack, he said, "I was but like the walker who has reached (the goal) or like the seeker who has found (his object) and whatever is with Allah is good for the pious." The Prophet also said that there is no pleasure for a believer other than union with Allah.

Snow Drunk

The sky at dawn is the shadow
of the deer who hoped to be seen,
lagging behind like that to peek
through the hedges. Painters
only did that when they lacked
cameras to abstract that which is
abstracted. This one is gray
on gray with a spray of rose leaves
in the black of what is actually there:

azures, lemons, magentas, pales and darknesses.

The proof is in everything and each
of the prostrating shadows
of dawn, of noon, of dusk,
move this way and that way,
several ways, each one
a better color than the next
one and the unknown of that
is certainly more
than black can tell you
in the constant sillhouette
of the materials frozen
into the peculiar shapes of deers.
My shape is said to be that of a pear.

When I say this to the beholder
I am finished. Returning to
the window of shadows I find
the world has been lit up
and it has snowed.
It has literally snowed,
it is quiet and I am quiet
more than the snow
can tell me in its shushing.
We all begin to jump around
and we begin again our falling.

The Molecular Model of Duality: Potassium

Dr. Plichta's conclusion:

The biochemical components of life, the amino acids, are coded by the number 19 . The structure of the eighty-one stable, natural existing chemical elements, the components of the Nature, are in many ways subject to the same code . A lonely number, the unique number 19, proves to be the King Number of the chemistry.

What worried Dr. Plichta the most, however , was the question, why all elements with odd atomic numbers possess either one or two isotopes? Only the nineteenth element, Potassium, does not? Because with its three isotopes the Potassium actually would have to be an element with even atomic number. Because this number is an odd prime number, and the element 19, therefore Potassium, behaves like an even-numbered element. For the first time, Dr. Peter Plichta came upon a double-face element. An element, which is odd, however it behaves like an even element .

41:53] We will show them our proofs in the horizons, and within themselves, until they realize that this is the truth. Is your Lord not sufficient as a witness of all things?

[ 72:28] ........ He (GOD) has counted the numbers of all things.

[ 27:82] At the right time, we will produce for them a creature made of earthly materials, declaring that the people are not certain about our revelations.

http://www.submission.org/miracle/19-chemistry.html

Love Islamic Style

(Some origins and causes of the Sunni/Shi'i Divide)



The greatest love story ever told and all the tremendous details of the birth of a woman from the seed of the apple of Eden where Eve had "no navel" (James Joyce). *


Her husband's (Ali Mu'mineen, pbuh, The Commander of the Faithful
and First Imam of Islam) elegy:

"O the Prophet of Allah salam upon you from me and your daughter who is being buried near to you and who has joined you so soon. O the messenger of Allah, the passing away of your daughter has lessened my patience and I have lost my energy and power. After having endured your separation I have to bear this catastrophe also so patiently. I laid you down in the grave with my own hands; your soul departed from your body while your head was lying between my neck and heart. 'Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return'. (Fatimah) was a trust (entrusted to me) and a souvenir that is taken back from me. Now my sorrow grief and pain is eternal, lasting and overwhelming. It has left me with sleepless nights till Allah chooses for one Realm where you abide. Soon your daughter will inform you that how your Ummah made alliance to ill-treat and oppress her. You ask her the details of what all has happened to her, even though neither a long period passed away after your departure nor people stopped from talking about you. My farewell salam upon both of you (You and Your daughter) not such a salam which is from sad and weary heart (it is from sincere heart which loved and will always love you both). If I go back from (this place) it is not because I am tired of your company; and if I make a permanent abode by your grave it will not be because I am distrustful and suspicious from that reward which Allah has promised with those who bear sorrows patiently".

*This is the actual elegy written by the first Imam of the Twelver Shi'as written in homage to the daughter of the prophet who was his wife and died only three months after her father from heartbreak after being deprived of the honor due her as the only surviving child of what is known as "Ahlul Bayt" (in english this means "The house of the Prophet and is composed only of his nearest relatives: Ali Mu'mineen (pbuh, first cousin to the prophet), Hadrat Fatima (pbuh) and their two children Hassan and Hussein (pbut).

http://www.jafariyanews.com/august2k2/13_patheticwords.htm

http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=265

US backing yet another war criminal

Who is Meles Zanawi? Who has he killed? How many has he killed?

Another "great" step for democrazy in Somalia. What next, the plague? The King of Kings...if only I could find the link to that hadith that told us to "beware" the man who would call himself, The King of Kings aka Halie Selassie.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6251077.stm

Correspondents say the situation on the ground in southern Somalia remains unclear, with communications in the area poor.

Yeah, right. Where on earth have I heard that before?

http://www.ethiomedia.com/addfile/democracy_not_war.html


Democracy yes, Democrazy No!

The Ethiopian people have unequivocally said YES to democracy through the ballot box on May 15, 2005 whereby they have in no uncertain terms rejected or jettisoned the rogue and vicious party which calls itself EPRDF led by the murderer and kleptomaniac Meles Zenawi who without any doubt shall be brought to justice what ever it takes. Our people have made a rationale decision in electing the Kinijit Party whose leaders are unlawfully locked-in in the Gulag type Kaliti prison at the outskirts of Addis Ababa in a bid to make it difficult and inconvenient for relatives, friends, legal counselors and supporters to pay them frequent visits and give them legal counseling.

This is not the first time for Meles to commit such a pernicious and criminal act against those whom he suspects could be a threat to his unquenchable thirst for power. He has done it against Tamrat Layne, Seye Abraha, Abate Kisho and Bitew Belay to mention but a few. Many others from his own circle have fled the country for fear of facing similar trumped-up charges which the foregoing have been subjected to.

What options are we Ethiopians left with to get rid of these scoundrels who have imposed themselves as so called leaders of the country while our legitimately elected leaders are languishing in prison? There is no any one Ethiopian who is not burning inside by the lawless acts of this deceptive guy known by the name of Meles. The normally gullible Ferenjis (the donor community), who once were totally gulled by his ceaseless mendacity and deception are now fed-up with his bogus and sham character and have thus started openly voicing their discontent with regard to his degenerating governance and abuse of human rights in the country. The denials of some of these Western governments’ financial assistance in the form of budget support and the likes are signals of their becoming disgruntled with Meles.

More Odd facts about Odd 19

ABU ALI HASAN IBN AL-HAITHAM
( 965 - 1040 A.D.)
Another amazing fact about the famous Islamic prime number 19, Allahu Ahkbar!

Abu Ali Hasan Ibn al-Haitham was one of the most eminent physicists, whose contributions to optics and the scientific methods are outstanding. Known in the West as Alhazen, Ibn aI-Hautham was born in 965 A. D. in Basrah, and was educated in Basrah and Baghdad. Thereafter, he went to Egypt, where he was asked to find ways of controlling the flood of the Nile. Being unsuccessful in this, he feigned madness until the death of Caliph al-Hakim. He also traveled to Spain and, during this period, he had ample time for his scientific pursuits, which included optics, mathematics, physics, medicine and development of scientific methods on each of which he has left several outstanding books.

He made a thorough examination of the passage of light through various media and discovered the laws of refraction. He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into its constituent colors. His book Kitab-at-Manazir was translated into Latin in the Middle Ages, as also his book dealing with the colors of sunset. He dealt at length with the theory of various physical phenomena like shadows, eclipses, the rainbow, and speculated on the physical nature of light. He is the first to describe accurately the various parts of the eye and give a scientific explanation of the process of vision. He also attempted to explain binocular vision, and gave a correct explanation of the apparent increase in size of the sun and the moon when near the horizon. He is known for the earliest use of the camera obscura. He contradicted Ptolemy's and Euclid's theory of vision that objects are seen by rays of .light emanating from the eyes; according to him the rays originate in the object of vision and not in the eye. Through these extensive researches on optics, he has been considered as the father of modern optics.

The Latin translation of his main work, Kitab-at-Manazir, exerted a great influence upon Western science e.g. on the work of Roger Bacon and Kepler. It brought about a great progress in experimental methods. His research in catoptrics centered on spherical and parabolic mirrors and spherical aberration. He made the important observation that the radio between the angle of incidence and refraction does not remain constant and investigated the magnifying power of a lens. His catoptrics contain the important problem known as Alhazen's problem. It comprises drawing lines from two points in the plane of a circle meeting at a point on the circumference and making equal angles with the normal at that point. This leads to an equation of the fourth degree.

In his book Mizan al-Hikmah Ibn al-Haitham has discussed the density of the atmosphere and developed a relation between it and the height. He also studied atmospheric refraction. He discovered that the twilight only ceases or begins when the sun is 19 degrees below the horizon and attempted to measure the height of the atmosphere on that basis. He has also discussed the theories of attraction between masses, and it seems that he was aware of the magnitude of acceleration due to gravity.

His contribution to mathematics and physics was extensive. In mathematics, he developed analytical geometry by establishing linkage between algebra and geometry. He studied the mechanics of motion of a body and was the first to maintain that a body moves perpetually unless an external force stops it or changes its direction of motion. This would seem equivalent to the first law of motion.

The list of his books runs to 200 or so, very few of which have survived. Even his monumental treatise on optics survived through its Latin translation. During the Middle Ages his books on cosmology were translated into Latin, Hebrew and other languages. He has also written on the subject of evolution a book that deserves serious attention even today.

In his writing, one can see a clear development of the scientific methods as developed and applied by the Muslims and comprising the systematic observation of physical phenomena and their linking together into a scientific theory. This was a major breakthrough in scientific methodology, as distinct from guess and gesture, and placed scientific pursuits on a sound foundation comprising systematic relationship between observation, hypothesis and verification.

Ibn al-Haitham's influence on physical sciences in general, and optics in particular, has been held in high esteem and, in fact, it ushered in a new era in optical research, both in theory and practice.


From the Sura called "The Cloaked (hidden) One" which is widely believed to be a Sura regarding mathematics and a proof to the Unbelievers:

74:18
For he thought and he plotted;-

74:19
And woe to him! How he plotted!-

74:20
Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted!-

74:21
Then he looked round;

74:22
Then he frowned and he scowled;

74:23
Then he turned back and was haughty;

74:24
Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old;

74:25
"This is nothing but the word of a mortal!"

74:26
Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire!

74:27
And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is?

74:28
Naught doth it permit to endure, and naught doth it leave alone!-

74:29
Darkening and changing the colour of man!

74:30
Over it are Nineteen.

74:31
And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, "What symbol doth Allah intend by this?" Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind.

74:32
Nay, verily: By the Moon,

74:33
And by the Night as it retreateth,

74:34
And by the Dawn as it shineth forth,-

74:35
This is but one of the mighty (portents),

74:36
A warning to mankind,-

74:37
To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind;-

74:38
Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.

Turning Muslim in Texas . People reverting to Islam in Texas.

Please Visit http://www.turntoislam.com for more documentaries. For this video Please Link to our webSite. http://www.turntoislam.com The documentary explores the lives of several Texan families. Muslim and Non Muslim, and their views about Islam and life in the West. George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw. The Bible belt is transferring its allegiance to the Quran because, for many erstwhile Christians, believe it or not, the church is too liberal. Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day and even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim burka. Islam, says Eric, is everything I wanted Christianity to be. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her sons conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: Then he will be a dynamic preacher. Eric says: "Maybe some day she will embrace Islam."

Cool Music Hoochy Islam

http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/

Ahlul Bayt

Stand when they stand:

http://www.al-islam.org/murajaat/index.htm


I References to Proofs Mandating Following the `Itra,

II The Commander of the Faithful (as) Invites to Ahl al­Bayt's Sect,

III Relevant Statement of Imam Zainul­`Abidin.

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Thul-Qi`da 12, 1329 A.H.

You, thanks to Allah, can be convinced by a mere hint, without the need for an explanation, and you are above doubting the very fact that the purified offspring (`itra) are superior to all others. Their case is quite clear: they have surpassed those with qualifications and have distinguished themselves from seemingly equal peers. They have carried from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, the knowledge of the prophets, and from him have they digested secular and religious jurisdictions.


1) The Prophet, hence, has made them equal only to the Glorious Book and set them models of conduct for those endowed with reason, and the ark of safety when hypocricy with its tumultous waves overwhelms the security of the nation, safeguarding it against dissension if the tempests of division rage, the Gate of Salvation: whoever enters it is forgiven, and the strong Rope of Allah which is unbreakable.


2) The Commander of the Faithful is quoted in sermon 86 in Nahjul­Balagha as saying:


"`Where are you heading (Qur'an, 81:26),' and `where are you straying (Qur'an, 6:95, 10:34, 35:3, 40:62),' since the flags are poised up high, the Signs are clear, and the light­house is erected? So, where are you straying? Nay! How can you be blindfolded while you have among you the household (`itra) of your Prophet? They are the reins of righteousness, the religion's flags, and the tongues of truth; therefore, accord them as you accord the Qur'an and approach them as thirsty camels approach the water. O people! Take this[1] from the last of the Prophets, Allah's peace be upon him and his progeny: `whoever among us passes away, he is not really dead, and whoever disintegrates (after dying) from among us does not really disintegrate; therefore, do not say what you do not know, for there is the greatest truth in what you deny. Accept the argument of one against whom you have no argument and it is: `Have I not dealt with you according to the Greatest Weight[2] (Qur'an)? Have I not left among you the Lesser Weight (Ahl al­Bayt) and laid firm among you the flags of faith?'"


He, peace be upon him, said, in sermon 96 of Nahjul­Balagha, "Behold the Household of your Prophet; emulate their example and follow in their footsteps, for they shall never take you out of guidance, nor shall they ever bring you back into destruction; halt when they halt, and rise when they rise, and do not go ahead of them lest you should stray, nor should you lag behind them lest you should perish." He, peace be upon him, has mentioned them once, as stated in sermon 237 of Nahjul-Balaghah, saying: "They are the life of knowledge and the death of ignorance; their forbearance informs you of their knowledge, and their outward appearance informs you of their conscience. Their silence indicates the wisdom of their speech. They neither differ from truth, nor do they differ among themselves about it. They are the pillars of Islam and the gateways to salvation. Through them, justice was achieved and wrong­doing was removed, and its tongue was uprooted. They comprehended the creed with care and concern, not like hearing and reporting, for the `reporters' of knowledge are many indeed, but those who safeguard it are few." He, peace be upon him, as stated in sermon 153 in Nahjul-Balaghah, has also said, "His offspring (`itra) is the best, and his family is the best. His tree is the best of trees: it was planted in the sacred place (Haram), and it grew like a vine; it has long branches and its fruit is not unattainable."

He, peace be upon him, is quoted in sermon 153 of Nahjul-Balaghah saying: "We are the banner, the companions, the trustees and the gates. Houses are not supposed to be approached except through their gates: whoever approaches them otherwise is called a thief," until he said, describing the purified offspring (`itra), "They are the vital portions of the Qur'an, and they are the teasures of the Merciful. They tell the truth when they speak, or when they remain silent; none can speak ahead of them. Therefore, let the forerunner speak the truth to his people, maintaining his reason."

He has said in sermon 146 of Nahjul-Balaghah: "You should know that you will never know guidance unless you know who abandons it, nor will you abide by the Book (Qur'an) unless you know who contradicts it, and you will never uphold it unless you know who has discarded it; so, seek that from those who possess it, for they are the life of knowledge and the death of ignorance. They are the ones whose judgment informs you of their knowledge, their silence of their power of speech, their outer appearance of their inner selves; they neither violate the religion, nor do they differ among themselves about it, while it is among them a truthful witness and a silent speaker."

There are many similarly impressive statements of his, peace be upon him, in this regard; consider this one which is excerpted from sermon 4 in Nahjul-Balaghah: "Through us you received guidance in the darkness, ascending the zenith of nobility, and through us you reached the light and dissipated the gloomy night. May the ears that do not listen to the summoner be deafened."[3] He is quoted in sermon 104 of Nahjul-Balaghah saying: "O people! Secure your light from the flame of the lamps of a preacher who follows what he preaches, and drink from a spring cleansed from impurity."

He has also said the following in sermon 108: "We are the tree of Prophethood, the place of the Message, the ones to whom the angels make a pilgrimage, the treasures of knowledge, the springs of wisdom. Our supporter and lover awaits the mercy, while our enemy or antagonist us awaits the wrath."[4]

Among what he has said in this regard is sermon 143 of Nahjul-Balaghah wherein he says: "Where are those who claimed to be deeply versed in knowledge other than our own selves? (See also Qur'an, 3:7 and 4:162). It is a lie and a transgression against us, for Allah has raised us high while putting them down; He bestowed upon us while depriving them, and He permitted us to enter (in the fortress of knowledge) while turning them out. Through us, guidance is achieved and blindness is removed. Surely the Imams from Quraysh have been planted in Hashim's loins. Imamate can never fit anyone else, nor can government either." Then he stated: "But they preferred a speedy gain to a later one, forsaking a pure well to drink from an impure one," up to the end of his statement. He has also said at the conclusion of khutba (sermon) 189 of Nahjul-Balaghahh: "Whoever among you dies on his bed knowing the rights of his Lord and knowing the rights of His Messenger and his family (Ahl al­Bayt) dies as a martyr, and his reward will be incumbent upon Allah, and he deserves the reward of what good deeds he has intended to do: his own intention will make up for his use of his sword (in jihad)."

Also, he, peace be upon him, has said: "We are the virtuous; our descendants are the descendants of Prophets; our party is the party of Allah, the Sublime, the Glorified, while the transgressing party is the devil's; whoever equates us with our enemy is certainly not of us."[5]

Imam al­Mujtaba Abu Muhammad al­Hasan, the patient, master of the youths of Paradise (as), has said the following in one of his sermons: "Fear Allah regarding us, for we are your rulers."[6]


3) Whenever Imam Abu Muhammad, `Ali son of al­Husayn Zainul­`Abidin, master of those who prostrate in prayer, used to recite this verse of the Almighty: "O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with the Truthful," he would make a lengthy invocation to Allah containing his plea to be included among "the Truthful" to attain the high ranks. He would then count the calamities and innovations of the group that split from the Imams of Faith and the Tree of Prophethood. Then he would say: "Some people went as far as underestimating us, making excuses for the Qur'anic verses which seem to them to be alike, giving their own interpretation thereof, and casting doubts about the transmitted narrarations in our honour," until he would say: "With whom shall people in this nation seek refuge, since the pillars of this creed have been forgotten and the nation has divided upon itself with dissension, each party accusing the other of kufr, while Allah says: `Do not be like those who became divided and disagreed (with each other) even after receiving the Clear Evidences (Qur'an, 3:104)?' Who can be trusted to convey the Divine proofs and interpret the Judgment other than the peers of the Qur'an and the descendants of the Imams of Guidance, the lamps amidst the darkness, those whom Allah made as His Arguments against His servants? He has never left His creation alone without a Proof. Do you know them or find them except from the branches of the Blessed Tree, the remnant of the Elite from whom Allah has removed all impurity, purifying them with a perfect purification, clearing them from sinning and decreeing their love in His Book?"

That was his own speech, peace be upon him, verbatim.[7] Look into it and into our quotations from the speech of the Commander of the Faithful; you will find them both representing the Shi`a School of Muslim Thought in this regard very clearly. Consider this much of their speech as a specimen for all such speeches of the Imams from Ahl al­Bayt. They all are unanimous in this respect, and our sahih books quoting them are mutawatir (consecutively reported), and peace be with you.


Sincerely,

Sh

Dear Reader

Ah well, maybe. Bisbee is warm now but it will be cold soon and very. Not as cold as Oregon perhaps but cold enough to matter sometimes.

Heaven and Hell. Well, actually, they do exist. Not here ranydl, not here. I used to think it a kind of purgatory but there is far too much "light" for it to be so and of course, there is free will and choice which necessarily don't involve purgatory.

Illusion. This life is an illusion (as per the Quran), don't you see it (same)?

Our brains are contained in a space in which there is no:

light
sound
taste
touch
odor

Imagination. We imagine what we do and if we are good folks then the Creator indulges us with what is necessary for our survival and keeps from us those things that might bring on our ruin. If we aren't such good folks, we become Donald Trump and write books to convince others about how easy it is "to get rich". You see, the Creator tells us this in the "teacher's manual" i.e. the Quran. Tells us that if we aren't really good folks i.e. believers in the Creator's manifest projections, then the Creator will lead us by a "lying sinning forelock" to our own ruin and will increase our sin accordingly....all the while making it seem as if we are "successful".

Life is easy once you understand that contract. You begin to realize that it has all already happened. Your trip to Bisbee is already planned and the outcomes are understood. Perhaps you didn't know that but perhaps I do.

Some of Islam is available and some of it is protected. This is the protected aspect of it and might disturb another unintentionally and I hope that is not the case. It is all written down already Ranydl. All of it down to the next fall of snow.

:)

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Penny wise and pound foolish
used to cut it but then we found
ourselves poor and very, very wise.

http://www.funeralplan.com/products/embalming.html



Your RIGHT to not be buried
"Like an Egyptian":

"Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary, however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial."

The Theory of Snow

The night was dark, really dark.
I stopped above the round about
and hurried to urniate
fearful of the wild pigs, omnivores
that stag along the streets
at night. The deer wander through
the hedges to gape and yawn.
The big cats and bears are still
one range away in their territory
where the roads washed away
in a hundred year rain last summer.

When will it be the last time?

This brain of mine is imagination,
corroborated and clean, full
of the most drastic information.
Women here are flag lace and spread eagled,
I'm not used to it anymore,
not used to the going feral.

This snow is a bright lozenge
in the night, hoped for, planned out.
Every piece falls conspicuously
through the lamplight as I wait
for the dragnet of your verbs,
the tragedy of all is well.

No one is well now, are they?

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=78296

From Sister Cities:

"They thought I was a tire burning.
They thought I was a Marine barracks."

Thermohaline energy transfers and global warming:

http://www.aip.org/history/climate/oceans.htm


Another great unknown was the interaction between currents like the
Gulf Stream and the giant eddies that the currents spun off as they
meandered. Evidence of these broad, sluggishly rotating columns of
water had turned up during a survey voyage across the North Atlantic
in 1960. This was confirmed by an international campaign carried out
by six ships and two aircraft in the early 1970s — another example
of how studying ocean phenomena needed international cooperation.
The survey discovered eddies bigger than Belgium that plowed through
the seas for months. What oceanographers had supposed were static
differences in the oceans between their sparse measuring-points, had
often actually been changes over time, not over space.
The oceanographers had been vaguely aware that when meteorologists
built atmospheric models, they included the energy carried by wind
eddies as an important factor (physical oceanography, as one
practitioner remarked, was "to some extent a mirror of
meteorology"). Yet it was astounding to see what prodigious
quantities of heat, salt, and kinetic energy the ocean eddies
carried. Indeed nearly all the energy in the ocean system was in
these middle-sized movements, not in the ocean currents at all.
(28*)

He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier
between them. They do not transgress. (Quran, 55:19-20)

He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet
and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made
between them a barrier and a forbidding partition. (Quran, 25:53

Or (the unbelievers’ state) is like the darkness in a deep sea. It
is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which are clouds.
Darknesses, one above another. If a man stretches out his hand, he
cannot see it.... (Quran, 24:40)

Water is not like air, and computers that could handle meteorological computations were far too slow to work through comparable models for this swirling ocean "weather." As one ocean modeler complained in 1974, "Extensive research efforts have not yet yielded much more than a greater appreciation of the difficulty of these questions."(29) To get a handle on the problem, oceanographers had to understand the oceans from top to bottom. But they had little data on the depths — the occasional expeditions, retrieving bottles of water here and there from kilometers down, were like a few blind men trying to map a vast prairie. Oceanographers liked to remark that we had better maps of the face of the Moon than of the deep sea. After all, there was little economic incentive, nor much military interest either, in studying the colossal slow movements of water, salts, and heat through the abyss.